Forgotten
by Zaniko
Summary: [rikukairi]. Faced with an abbusive Father, the loss of a mother and a haunted childhood, Riku turns to the darkness, but can his two best friends save him before he goes under?
1. A Touch Of Darkness

**Author's Note: **First Kingdom Hearts fic. I completed the game quite a while ago and therefore may not remember **every** detail, so please, bear with me. Also I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the other Final Fantasy Characters mentioned here. It would also be greatly appreciated if people would review. I've never tried this type of story before and therefore would like to hear other people's opinions about it...

**The Forgotten  
**Chapter One :: _A Touch of Darkness  
_by Virgo Shadow

- - - - - - - - -

_Riku Hojo, aged fifteen, was certainly not like the others his age. He had talents, hidden talents, abilities that he and only he knew of -- for now. And those talents would have an impact on him; he could feel it even now. But how, that was what he didn't know..._

"Darkness cannot run out darkness, only light can do that; Hate cannot run out hate, only love can do that."  
(**Dr. Martin Luther King Jr**.)

- - - - - - - - -

The punch came out of nowhere and knocked Riku in the temple. School had just ended, and it had been three days since the incident with Seifer Almasy. Riku had been heading to Kairi's class to pick her up, but as the force of a eighteen-year-old's punch met the side of his head, it seemed he'd been assigned a new schedule.  
  
"Riku Hojo," said the boy who'd thrown the punch - Vincent Valentine, "I know you did that to Seifer, I just know it."

Vincent was a tall, very pale and muscular boy; one of the populars of Riku's school. He grinned at Riku, bearing his perfectly white, sharp, pointed teeth. His blood red eyes glowing from underneath his unruly ebony hair. He punched one hand into his other fist, lowered his head and snarled.  
  
Riku regarded Vincent. "There's no need for you to tell me that again." Riku replied coldly. He didn't stop to show any hinting of pain in the head -- power perceived is power achieved, he thought. "You've told me you think I did it before."

A thin smile protruded from Riku's lips, but his general appearance, as well as those haunting eyes, made it very difficult for him to appear kind or loving. It was something that best friend, Sora and his girlfriend, Kairi, had come to get used to.

Among the group that had now surrounded Riku, Vincent seemed to be the dominating member. Riku looked around him, regarding each member with a disturbing intensity from behind his haunting mako-green eyes.

Vincent Valentine - the vampire-like child, ruthless, egotistical, cold and completely bloodthirsty. Seymour Guado - the half-Guado who's father happened to be a 'Lord'. This thought disgusted Riku and it wouldn't have surprised him if his mother had been a whore. About as egotistical as Vincent. Seifer's personal body-guard. He never went anywhere without either these two ready to take blows for him. Seymour was also eighteen, highly popular and a highly formidable advisory. He had tied his long blue hair back for this occasion, his face looking even more sinister with those birthmarks on his forehead and his piercing blue eyes. He stood back straight, standing a few feet away from Riku, his arms folded and his mouth unsmiling.

People like them never understood anything; their tiny inferior minds could not even begin to comprehend Riku's abilities.

"It's because you're afraid." Riku whispered, chuckling lightly to himself, his eyes transfixed on the ground below him. The corner of his mouth sneered upwards into the most repulsive smile that Riku had to offer.

Seymour was angered further by Riku's attitude. He made sounds of aggravation, and a small crowd began to form, mostly of Riku's tormentors, ready to watch the spectacle they knew was coming; Freak-boy was about to get the beating of his life for what he mysteriously did to Seifer. None of them knew how the weird kid had done it, but to their young logic it made perfect sense: Seifer tries to hit on the freak's girlfriend, but his arm gets mysteriously dislodged and shattered. The injury was as freaky as their favourite victim. To them, there was no further need for proof. "Listen up, freak-boy, 'cause I'm about to teach you something." Vincent muttered. 

_Vincent did an amusing rendition of someone trying to look tough._ Riku thought. _I see a scared, stupid, inferiority-complexed child beneath all of this... Who was apparently about to teach me something? _

Riku's thin lips formed a dark, dispassionate smile. Looked like the _class_ that Vincent was going to be teaching was physical education. "And you better learn it: We don't like you, Hojo." 

"Yeah!"

"You tell that freak, Vincent!"

"Give it to him! Beat him to a pulp!"

"Yeah! Yeah! Let's see you spill some of his weird blood! I bet it's silver, just like his hair!"

"Let him try to show his face after you've smashed it in!"

The individual voices didn't matter. These peers all thought with the same dumb, violent, eager mind.  
  
Seymour cracked his knuckles, or attempted to. He sneered at Riku. "I'm gonna kill you, retard." With that, he brought his hand around and landed another punch, this one catching Riku just below the ribcage. A kick to the shin. A few more punches.  
  
Riku didn't strike back. "What's the matter?! You can't talk and now you can't even hit?! Too wussy?" Another punch.

"Come on, you think you're big for whatever it was you did to Seifer the other day -- Fight me!" It was Vincent now. "Come on! Freak-boy!" Vincent swung his leg forward to execute a kick to Riku's groin -- but the kick didn't land. When what had happened registered in his mind, he realised he was being held by the ankle by freak-boy.  
  
Riku sighed and spoke softly. "Who's the wuss now?" He flicked his hand up, tossing the leg with it, and Vincent fell to the ground. He just watched the younger boy on the ground, looking up in shock. Power perceived... What did this boy fear? Riku was in control now. He saw the opportunity to get the upper hand, and walked up to the boy, still floored. "You're afraid," Riku repeated in his softest voice. "You're afraid that I'll do to you what you think I did to your friend Seifer... You're even afraid I'll kill you." Vincent was trembling. Power perceived... "Do you want me to kill you?"  
  
"N... no! D... don't kill me... Riku... Don't...!" Vincent Valentine's words were frenzied and came out terrified. He flinched in fear as he saw Riku's hand reach down to him... Then he realised the intent behind it and grabbed the hand. Riku pulled to boy up, but didn't let go then.  
  
Riku kept his hold on the older boy's hand. Then, all of a sudden, he twisted Vincent's arm behind him. He could feel the scream welling in the throat of his assailant -- then released it just as suddenly. The appropriate amount of fear was instilled. Power achieved. Rushing to restore his foundation, Vincent turned back on Riku.

"Don't think you've won, Hojo!" He had to hold up his reputation; the crowd was growing fast. "I'm still gonna kill you! Freak! Bring it on! Freak! Freak!" Soon enough, the whole crowd was shouting that word in unison... That word...  
  
The darkness Riku felt on so many nights crept up now, for the first time in the daylight. For the first time ever, he could feel the hate he harboured for these antagonists. He didn't want to just pretend they weren't there, to shut them out, anymore. He backed up to face Vincent. If it was a fight that he wanted...  
  
"Riku!" Kairi came running up, pushing through the group to get to Riku. "Riku, let's go... I don't think you should be here now, and --" She was cut off by a hard blow from Seymour. She hit the dusty ground hard, face down.  
  
"Get outta here, kid!" Seymour Guado shouted at the fourteen-year-old girl. "Don't interrupt a fight!" Riku's eyes froze upon the body of Kairi, whimpering on the ground in pain. Angered, he looked up again, straight through Seymour Guado's head. There was nothing human about his fixed, dispassionate glare. This was the angriest Riku had ever been. He felt more hate than he had ever known towards these people.  
  
He would be teaching the lesson today. He focused on all of his hate... and gave it a scapegoat. Seymour Guado, you'll know something new today.  
  
Seymour's eyes widened. He doubled over. "Wh... What's going on... what's wrong with me... AAAUGH!" He screamed and coughed. "Ho... Hojo... you..." A cracking sound, and Seymour fell to the ground, blacked out. An onlooker bent down to see if Seymour was all right. He set two fingers by the neck...  
  
"No pulse." The boy said, trembling. "S... Seymour's dead..."  
  
Riku snapped to full realisation. Before him was the body of Seymour Guado, mangled and twisted, dead. Riku had done it. He felt the darkness well in him, and it touched him. The Jenova blood that had remained dormant in his veins for so long had been reawakened... He felt a smile tug at his lips.  
  
Riku bent down to help Kairi up. He held her with his left arm around her shoulder as Ansem, the headmaster, Cid Highwind, a few other teachers and the local Seed candidates arrived on the scene, dispersing the crowd.


	2. Broken

**Author's Note:** Yay! I finally had time to update. Sorry for making you all wait so long, I'm glad you liked the story so far. Please R it would make me very happy. Sorry in advance if you are scared by this chapter...

**Forgotten**  
Chapter Two :: _Broken_  
by Virgo Shadow

- - - - - - - - -

_Broken, empty lies. Did he trust...?_

"Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful."  
(**Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche**)

- - - - - - - - -

Riku, Kairi and Sora didn't get taken home until late. Ansem had held them back in the detention room for a few hours, to try to figure out just what exactly had gone on outside the school. He'd had no success. Deaths weren't exactly common in this town... Nothing like this had ever happened before, where innocent children were killed outside of his school for reasons unknown. The headmaster stared down at the blank space in the report below "Cause of Death" in his notes, confused. What would he tell Seymour father, he wondered, when they came to him for answers?

And what of these three children, he wondered. He couldn't help but think that that Hojo boy had something to do with it, but there was nothing to go by. All of the children who witnessed the act said that they were sure Riku had done it, but not a single one could make any connections or say anything about what happened. The way he heard it, Vincent taunted Riku, they got to blows, Riku threatened Seymour, and Seymour... died. It didn't fit. But either way, Ansem had no choice now. He'd had them for long enough, it was time to return them back to their parents. Tired and wanting more than to just go home for the night, the headmaster simply dropped them off by their houses, Kairi first, then Sora and at last Riku. Ansem had wanted to speak with his parents. But, Riku refused and watched Ansem walk away.

Riku went inside, knowing that a great deal of punishment would come to him for being late again. But this time it was different from usual. Father was waiting for him in the front room, standing in his permanent shroud of shadow. The man travelled in a permanent shroud of shadow. Riku put down his school bag and stood still.

_He's going to concentrate on me_, Riku thought. He could read it in him.

Before a word was spoken, his father hit him across the face hard. Enough force was behind the blow to send Riku sprawling to the floor. When he was down, his father grabbed him and pulled him up, holding him from behind while his father removed his belt. He pulled Riku shirt off as he prepared the belt for a strike, like a coiled snake.

Snap! Riku winced in pain. His father hadn't said a word to him yet.

Snap! Harder this time, Riku's mouth formed an anguished expression as his eyes squeezed shut.

Snap! The skin broke of Riku's chest and he could feel a slight amount of blood seeping out and trickling down his stomach.

Then, Father spoke. "Cry, damn you!" he shouted at his son, continuing the beating to the very limits of the fifteen-year-old tolerance.

He squeezed Riku's arm tighter, thrusting him closer to the blows. He still didn't shed a single tear. "Seymour's Father is going crazy. What did you do to that boy, Riku?! He's dead, and they all say you did it!" More whips. Riku remained tearless, but his father dropped him to the floor and stood over him. A long silence between the both of them before he finally spoke. "Where did I go wrong...?"

_As if you don't know,_ Riku thought. _Pitiful. Ever since Mother died... She was the only thing keeping this broken family together. _Maybe his own father had done it to him when he was at this age. Now it was all Riku's father could do to feel power. The pity wasn't for him. He wanted Riku dead. It was for himself.

Riku's father's belt continued. The boy winced, cringed, bled but never once cried. The pain was immense. Riku could bearly see anything clearly other than the snarling visage of his father, growing angrier still with each strike. His young chest burnt like the fires of hell, and he could see that his blood was staining the carpet that was once white. Now a part of it would be red, forever. It went on to no end, it seemed... And then, it stopped. Recovering from the last cringe, Riku wiped his eyes. He was still lying on the floor, so he pulled himself up into the nearest chair for support. He was alone in the room.

...Then Father returned, with his sword in his hand. Riku drew back in shock. He knew his Father was an evil, evil man... But murder? He raised the sword, and took a few steps towards Riku. "Did you kill Seymour Guado, Riku?"

Riku closed his eyes emotionlessly, silent. "Dammit boy, answer me!" No answer. "Answer your father!" Still no answer. "Riku, did you kill that boy? Don't you trust your father? I'll help you pay the price of murder!"

Broken, empty lies. Did he trust...? "No. Sephiroth. I don't."


	3. A Present

**Author's Note:** Another chapter! Well, I'm running out of ideas for the plot... Hold on, no I'm not. I'm just too bloody lazy to write anything. Well, seeing as I've got lots of time on my hands now, I don't think it really matters. Well, on with the fic! Remember to review!

**Forgotten**  
Chapter Three :: A Present  
by Virgo Shadow

- - - - - - - - -

_Then he would be calm and serene forever._

"There are three kinds of men: those who are preceded by their shadow, those who are pursued by it, and those who have never seen the sun."  
(**Gred de Ley, **_Undictated Thoughts_)

- - - - - - - - -

Sephiroth raised his sword over his son's head and drew back. "Then you can just go to hell."

A five-year-old Riku bit his bottom lip and held tightly onto his Grandmother's hand as he sat on the sofa. His ears could hear muffled screams coming from upstairs... followed by the smashing of glass and objects hitting wood. Things breaking. People hurting. His father screaming at his Grandfather and his Grandfather's deep voice trying to reason with the vile words coming out of his father's mouth... Riku fought back tears and took a few deep breaths.

"_Grandma... Is it my fault? Did I make mommy die?" Riku asked, looking up at his Grandmother._

"..._No." She said kindly, cradling the little boy and holding him tight._

"_Then why is dad so angry with me?"_

"_Because... he's afraid." She said softly, stroking the boy's pretty silver mane._

_A long silence followed before Riku spoke again. "Afraid?"_

"_Yes. He's frightened. Because he knows he's going to have to raise you himself and he doesn't know how to do it."_

_Riku squeezed his Grandmother's hand tighter. _

"_Riku. I want you to remember something... No matter what happens to me, or you, or anyone. I want you to look after your father. You're all he has left in the world now... He loves you very much. Never forget that. I know, he would never do anything to hurt you. He loves you." _

Riku snapped back to full realisation. He was lying broken on the floor, eyes wide, blood painted across the wall and on his face, pouring out of his stomach. He was cut, bleeding, the warm blood trickling out onto the floor. His Father's prized sword lying next to him.

Summoning all his strength, Riku picked himself up off the floor and rested his forehead against the cold wall for support. Why wasn't he dead? He should be dead...

_He loves you._ The voice of his Grandmother filled Riku's head, filling his consciousness. What was this...?

His thoughts focused on one thing. Father was always so terrible to Sora, Kairi and himself. But he'd be better than that... His green gaze drifted across the room to where his Father's sword lay. The light from the moon making the silver blade glow handsomely... calling to him.

He'd give him a present.

The glow in his eyes' danced as he eyed the blade longingly. He stumbled across to it and picked it up with both hands. Damn... It was heavy. He centred his consciousness onto the present that he'd give his Father. He thought of Kairi and Sora one last time... reaching out into their slumbers, feeling the peace and the calm... How, wonderful. He would give his Father the one thing that could match the calm. Then he would be calm and serene forever. Within his soul, he knew he must complete the job, the gift must be given. The darkness welled up again, soothing him and strengthening him; intoxicating him... The Darkness.

"Hell." Riku said, the word vibrating around the darkness and the emptiness of the room.

Riku began to slowly make his way up to his Father's room, the sword dragged behind him and making a hollow noise each time it hit the floor. The age-old wooden stairs creaked as Riku trod on them, ever so carefully making his way up to the second floor.

He silently moved across the landing, ears listening for the sound of his Father's breathing. He walked up to the door of his Father's bedroom to slowly open it. It creaked and Riku cast a glance at his half-conscious Father, who was beginning to pick himself up off the floor.

He turned around. "Riku...?" He croaked out. His voice sore and quiet... He had been crying. His Mako-green eyes were heavy and bloodshot. "Riku, I'm...sorry."

Riku felt something trickle down his face and heard it fall onto the cold wooden floor and he looked down... tears? Tears. Riku did not understand. Instead, in an attempt not to mistake the tears for weakness he raised his Father's sword and held it at arm's length.

"Back. Off." He said, slowly. His breathing was heavy and desperate. He stared to feel, light-headed. Fearing he might pass-out he began to back away from his Father. His head was beginning to spin. "You'd," Riku began, leaning on the wall, "you'd just better leave me the hell alone."

"Would you just fucking listen to me?" Sephiroth pleaded.

"No." Riku replied, unwillingly fingering the cut across his stomach. "No!"

Riku broke down, he let the sword drop to his feet, and he leaned against the wall and slid down it. Huddled in a crouched-up position. His green eyes wide and frightened, tears drying on his face. He began to slowly rock himself back and forth; he was beyond crying...he was beyond feeling anything. "...no."

Sephiroth staggered over to his son and bent down, picking the fifteen-year-old up in his arms. He sat there, for the rest of the night, holding the boy, whispering endearments and gently running his cool fingers through Riku's hair, never ceasing to comfort him. "Oh, Riku... forgive me. Forgive your Father."


	4. Of Freaks and Teachers

**Author's Note:** Okay. I've just about had it with Gothic discrimination. Seriously… I really cracked last night. So, I wrote this as a way of taking out my anger. I want this story to mean something, and to display a message. So, please try to understand the meaning and feelings I'm trying to express. Because, this kind of treatment really has to stop.

**Forgotten**  
Chapter Four : Of Freaks and Teachers  
by Virgo Shadow

_The gentle was oh so strange there…_

"He who looks outside dreams, he who looks inside awakens."  
(**Carl Gustav Jung**)

All the children were in their places in the assembly hall, seated and waiting for class to begin. The headmaster hadn't entered the room yet, and monotony among the students was beginning to rise.

A wadded paper ball sailed through the air and gently bounced off Sora's forehead. Right as it happened, Kairi sat up quickly and turned to stare directly at the boy who'd thrown it… Seifer Almasy. Locking her eyes straight into Seifer's, the redheaded girl said nothing.

"What's the matter, slut?" Seifer taunted. "Got nothing to say?"

"Yeah, why do you all just sit there quiet like always? Freaks." Vincent added, sitting behind Seifer. Vincent Valentine, probably only Seifer's real friend. Well, at least t.he only one who was still alive, Sora noted. The others followed Seifer, but didn't really like him. Sora could see it. Vincent tossed a paper ball. "Freaks."

"Bunch of fucking Goths." Came another. This was, sadly, nothing new to Sora or Kairi. Or in fact, anyone else who hung around with Riku. Selphie, Wakka and Tidus were victims to this kind-of treatment everyday. They'd mostly learned to cope. Before long, every kid in their assembly was chanting: "Freaks, freaks." Some shot spitballs and tossed paper aeroplanes. Kairi simply turned back to her desk. As did Sora. They both remained seated and as calm as they could muster. Sora would not let himself fly off the handle. "Freaks, freaks, fre—"

The chanting stopped when Sora immediately stood up. _What was this,_ they thought, _could that loser actually do something about it?_

Sora walked over to Seifer, and slammed his gloved hands down onto the desk. "Listen and listen well, because I'm not going to repeat myself." Sora began, his voice coming out coolly, but tinted with quiet menace. "If you don't stop calling Riku, Kairi or anyone else names, I'm going to make you regret the day you were born." Sora said, bending in closer to Seifer's face and whispering the words. "Would you like me to break your other arm?"

The door opened and Mr. Ansem, the headmaster, walked in. Sora took his seat, and the other children calmed down as he began to take the roll. "Almasy."

"H-here." Seifer stammered, obviously taken aback by Sora's display of courage.

"Almasy present. Carol."

"Here." A petite blue-haired girl piped up.

"Carol present. Dincht."

"Yo."

Ansem ignored this comment from the blonde who had that retarded tattoo, on his face, and continued with the roll. Until it came to Riku…

"Hojo." Silence. "…Hojo?"

A quizzical look crossed Ansem's face as he looked around to see Riku's chair empty, then he shrugged it off and went back to the roll.

"Hojo. Absent. Kisaragi…" After the roll had ended, the crowd of mixed-graded pupils departed for their separate classes and began the school day as usual. The morning consisting of notes to take, problems to solve and a wonderfully happy science quiz just before lunch.

"So, where's Riku?" Selphie asked, as Sora sat down at their table for lunch. The boy was unusually quiet and collected today. Like something had sucked all the individuality and spirit right out of him.

Sora said nothing.

"Sora? Hello?" Tidus said, waving a hand in front of his face.

Sora grunted in acknowledgement. "I don't know where Riku is today… Probably… Got into another spat with his father." He mentally shivered as he recalled the last memories of Riku's beating, just over a week ago now. Just reminding himself of those horrible bruises was enough to make someone sick with fear and hatred.

Riku never told anyone about his Father's abuse, though everyone knew they didn't like each other. Especially not Kairi. It was safer if she didn't know about Riku's Father.

Sora still wondered how Riku managed to keep going. Riku would have been almost any parent's dream… But his family life was closer to a nightmare. All this made Sora so sad. This was his Father…but he was so horrible to Riku, to Kairi, to everyone. Especially Sora. Not like his Mother. Riku was so good; he made almost perfect marks in school and always, at least tried to stay out of trouble, with the exception of yesterday and the incident with Seifer. It was a broken family.

"That's awful, but I'm sure they'll sort it all out eventually…" Selphie said. Her cheerful optimism, it seemed always got in the way of clear thinking: Riku was never going to sort it out with his Father. End of discussion.

A long silence followed before anyone spoke. "So, uh, Kairi?" Wakka asked.

"What?" Kairi replied.

"Can I ask you something?" Wakka asked again, nervously.

"Yes," Kairi replied simply, "with a due sense of remorse and dread."

"Did, uh, Riku really… kill Seymour?" Wakka asked. "You were there, weren't you? I mean, I know he broke Seifer's arm and all, but I didn't think he could ever kill anyone, ya?"

"If you ask me, Seymour got what he deserved." Tidus said bluntly through a mouthful of something, which could not be identified for school safety reasons.

"He broke his fucking arm. They say it was a compound fracture and broken in four places. I bet that's no run, right kids?" A familiar voice greeted bluntly, a distinct note of sarcasm in his heavy voice.

"Oh, hey Mr. Highwind." Kairi greeted, thankful that the teacher was there to change the subject.

Cid Highwind, time serving history teacher and cynic like to observe at least three times a day "we are a beacon of learning, with a frayed wick". The first time he said this, some of his colleagues laughed, but now a days, they generally left the room. His wit and sense of humour was a hit with all the students. With the exception of the ones he didn't like, in which he did all within his power to make everyone of their lives hell. He smelt like a mixture of alcohol, stale smoke and one who has lived too long with lost causes…but the children loved him.

"No." Cid said half-heartedly. "I bet that's no fuckin' fun at all." The teacher sat himself down between Selphie and Kairi. "You know, kids. That motherfucker, Seifer is a right pain in the ass, for everyone. Including Ansem. The bastard deserved what was coming."

"What about Seymour? I heard the SeeD were coming over to search the school this afternoon." Wakka asked.

"Yeah," Cid agreed. "Ansem may have mentioned that, but everyone pays fuck-all attention to a damn word he says." He sighed, and leaned back in the seat, lighting up a cigarette. He breathed in a deep breath and exhaled. "I shouldn't worry. I know they're Captain, Squall Leonhart. Good man. He knows Seifer too, so I don't think anything bad should happen to your buddy Riku. Okay, kids?" Cid stood up. "By the way Sora. Good of you to stand up to Seifer this morning. I wish I could have been there. I would have played fucking merry-hell with him. Thanks for letting me sit with you too," he winked at Kairi and Selphie, "it's good for my image to be seen with two pretty young girls once in a while." The small group of children laughed as Cid walked away.

"I do hope nothing bad happens to Riku…" Sora trailed off, as he looked out of the window and gazed deep into the clear blue sky outside. The gentle was oh so strange there…


	5. Voices

**Author's Note: **Wow. It's been ages since I updated this fan fiction. Now that I have lots of ideas again the next chapters should be posted pretty soon. Enjoy.

**The Forgotten  
**Chapter Five : _Voices  
_by Virgo Shadow

- - - - - - - - -  
_  
Then, Riku asked the Darkness. "Take me back: I want to see Mother!"_

- - - - - - - - -

_Aeris Gainsborough. My Mother. Born February the seventh. The most wonderful woman in the world._

"_Come here, Riku. Come here." Sephiroth called to Riku from across the hall. A six-year-old Riku moved cautiously over to his Father. Sephiroth was sitting in their living room with a photo album open on his lap. Riku always had to be cautious whenever Sephiroth was acting like this; it meant he's had too much to drink… again. Not that he was much better sober, but…_

"_That's your Mother, Riku." He sighed. "I don't suppose you remember when she died… But do you remember what I told you? That was the day Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart got married. They were her two best friends. We were always having adventures. She would have loved to see you now."_

Riku woke up.

Mother?

No. It had been a dream.

He eyes were still sore from crying. He felt rough. His mouth felt like it was full of sand. Riku wanted nothing more than to get into a proper bed and sleep until he could face the day. Or night, rather. Glancing out the window behind him, Riku's Mako green eyes focused on the moon.

And where was Sephiroth…?

Riku wished he has the strength to move.

His thoughts returned to his Mother once again. They often did that, slipped into the present when he wasn't paying attention.

_Riku._ Then, he heard it. At last, it had found a voice. Despite his body's protests, he pulled himself to his feet.

Quietly he tiptoed down the stairs and out the front door. Where his Father was or even how he was, he didn't care.

Then, Riku ran. He had no idea where he was going. The Darkness was guiding him now.

Just as the sun was beginning to rise, Riku stopped running. He found himself in the cave on Destiny Islands, staring at the door with no handle.

_Mother. _The word reverberated through his mind, filling his consciousness. What was this…?

Sora and Kairi would be asleep… He reached out into their slumbers, to feel that peace and calmness. How, wonderful.

Riku looked straight up, eyes open and fixed in a gaze looking up into nothingness. The Darkness touched him, felt his inner being, just as it did on the night before.

Forlornly, he sent thoughts out into the Darkness. Thoughts of his differences, his talents. His Father. Yes, even Sephiroth. Then, his thoughts turned to Kairi and Sora. Peace and serenity there. He's supposed it to be wonderful… None of the complications and evil which the others loved oh so much.

There was only one thing which seemed as wonderful as that to Riku. Only one thing which seemed to match the calm of their innocent slumbers.

Mother.

Then, Riku asked the Darkness. "Take me back: I want to see Mother."

The figure cloaked in black remained silent.

"I want to see my Mum." Riku repeated, only louder this time.

"_She would've loved to see you now."_

"That's what my Father always said… so I was thinking, could we go and see my Mum while she was still alive?"

"I can do anything, Riku." The shadow replied. "It's you I'm more worried about."

"I want to see her." Riku pleaded.

"Your wish is my command." He bowed, and with the most repulsive smile the Shadow had to offer, it reached out and grabbed Riku's arm. Riku cried out in pain as the Darkness surged into his flesh. Making him remember…

"_She died so close to him. I wasn't there. No one was_." Riku could hear Sephiroth's voice echoing through his mind. _"It was a hit and run, she was stabbed in the back. We never found out who killed her. She was dead when the ambulance got there. I only wish there'd been someone there for her."_

"I want to be that someone!" Riku screamed. "I don't want Mother to die alone!"

The Darkness was more than happy to oblige.


End file.
